


The Light Within the Darkness: A Spider-Man Fanfiction

by CainFitzgerald3



Category: Marvel, Scarlet Spider (Comics), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Betrayal, Comfort, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Depression, Developing Friendships, Emotional, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fanfiction, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Gwen Stacy Lives, Gwen-centric, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Male-Female Friendship, POV Third Person, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-19 05:55:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29870166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CainFitzgerald3/pseuds/CainFitzgerald3
Summary: DISCLAIMER: All rights to Spider-Man and related characters belong to Marvel. This fanfiction is written simply for non-profit and entertainment purposes.After the betrayal in the hands of a "friend," Peter Parker becomes secluded and afraid, fearing of a new friendship. But when a new person, Gwen Stacy, enters his life and offers him a help, he might refuse it. Or will he soften and accept her?An AU Spider-Man one-shot fanfic written by Cain Fitzgerald.
Relationships: Annabelle Adams/Kaine (Spider-Man), Kaine (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker, Kaine (Spider-Man)/Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker/Gwen Stacy





	The Light Within the Darkness: A Spider-Man Fanfiction

**Author's Note:**

> • DISCLAIMER: All rights to Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, and related characters belong to Marvel.
> 
> • Since this is set in an alternate universe, minor changes are made.
> 
> • (I'm on Instagram! (@cain_the_writer) Feel free to follow me and talk to me! :) You'll get updates on my projects too)

_*drops of water raining down onto the bathroom floor*_

Inside his bathroom, Peter Parker was showering. The teenager let a continuous stream of water run across his whole body, while he stood still. His eyes were closed as the cool breeze of water wrapped him, washing away the foams of shampoo, facial wash, and soap. Despite having been washed away, the shower was still running. The teen felt encapsulated by the refreshing sensation of the cool water. Just to fill the void inside him... The boy let out a sigh and moved his hand to the shower control, rotating it counter clockwise, turning off the shower. He walked out of it, knowing he could not dilly dally.

He checked himself in front of the bathroom mirror, revealing a boy with soaked brunette hair. As he looked at himself, something made him deep in thoughts. It was the black eye sockets and his eyes... There was no life in his eyes, just pain, disgust, and distrust. Those feelings would always remind him of one moment in his life. One moment when he had trusted someone... A "friend," who ended up betraying him.

Now, he felt nothing.

He closed his eyes, trying to shake it off. But the painful reminder was still there. Irritated, Peter decided to just leave it be and took his grey toothbrush with mint toothpaste. However, he paused for a moment. The reflection of his eyes meeting his own, mirroring the burden of the pain in his eyes.

Gosh, the burden that he had been carrying for two months. The burden that made him sunk into his own emptiness and cry when he was about sleep, just to feel anything. The burden that made him suspicious of others, except the ones close to him. The pain that killed him inside, leaving only parts of his old self. The very pain that reduced him to nothing... but a shell of himself.

This caused Peter to strengthen his grip on his toothbrush. There was a radiating rage in it, as if it was screaming like a wounded untamed beast. His hand was shaking as his grip tightened more and more. The anger, the rage; they were slowly consuming him.

At the last moment however... his grip loosened, becoming more relaxed. The brunet froze, tears began to fill his eyes and trickle down across his cheek. He knew he could not channel his rage by breaking the toothbrush. Peter sighed to himself and started to brush his teeth while sobbing. He could dilly dally no longer, knowing that he would hang out with his friends later.

Even if that meant that he would meet Gwen Stacy again, a girl that he had met a week ago. A girl who wanted to enter his life and help him; a help that he refused.

He shrugged it off as he finished brushing his teeth and began to prepare himself for later.

\---

_(Two hours later; At a Chinese restaurant...)_

On a table nearby, Peter and Gwen were waiting for their food and drinks. The boy remained silent, hesitant to talk with the blonde girl, who was sitting opposite of him. He turned his eyes to another table, where his friend Annabelle and his cousin Kaine were conversing about something that he couldn't hear. When the two noticed Peter was looking at them, they simply smiled and winked in unison.

 _"Gosh, I hate you guys... Why did you have to set me up with her..?"_ The brunette teen let out a groan and rolled his eyes.

"Hm?" The blonde girl slightly tilted her head in curiosity.

"Huh?" Peter's hazel eyes then met with Gwen's blue eyes, "Oh, nothing. Nothing really."

The young brunet looked down to the table and sighed.

Minutes later, they still didn't talk. The male teenager's eyes were staring on the table, with the emptiness reflected on them. He really didn't pay attention to anything, but the same couldn't be said for the blonde. Gwen had been looking at the boy for some time. Her eyes were filled with sympathy.

"Peter, I know that we don't know much about each other. But you can tell me what's bothering you, right..?"

He looked up, now they were face-to-face. Peter was considering her words. As he was about to open his mouth, he hesitated and averted his eyes. The brunet shook his head, refusing her help again.

_Betrayal. Traitor. Pain... Betrayal. Traitor. Pain._

Those words were ringing inside his head, drowning the teenager into his own void... Like he was in a trance.

"Peter?"

The brunet snapped out of it. Gwen's voice brought him back to reality and stopped those horrible words.

"I'm not sure, Gwen. I don't think I can." There was still hesitation in his voice.

A soft sigh escaped the girl's mouth, "Peter, I want to help you. You can't be like this forever. I don't want you to be... this. Why won't you let me?"

"I-I... I don't know, Gwen. Last time I... made a friend, she..." Peter spoke with a hint of bitterness in his voice, before pausing. The teen took a moment and mustered enough courage and continued, "She broke my trust."

"Why?" the blonde girl asked while listening intently.

"Heh. Trust issues, she said," the youngster began to recount, "I wanted to help her. And I thought I could trust her... But I was so naive and so dumb. My parents had warned me to be careful but I didn't listen. It bit me in the end."

Peter chuckled, "Ah, the irony..."

"So, you're just gonna close yourself and give up? Just like that?"

He nodded, "The pain is too much for me... I don't want to have that kind of pain again..."

After hearing everything, Gwen let them sink in for a while. As she processed what Peter told her, there was this familiar feeling-an old one. It made her recall some of her lowest points in life. Moments when she was shrouded in the dark. Moments that became her burdens, like an iron ball shackled to her leg. Dark moments that dragged her into a deep hole and caused unpleasant feelings. Yet, she rose back up, not giving into negativity.

"I know how it feels like, Peter... I've been through stuff that almost made me give up. It's not pleasant... So, I want to relieve your burdens."

This caught Peter Parker's attention. He kept his eyes on the blonde and waited, curious of what would come next.

"That's why I want to help you. Things can bring us down. No matter how small or big the impact they left, we can still rise. And sometimes a little help won't hurt. Even if it's from a stranger."

The girl continued to convince the boy, "Just because you have been betrayed in the past. Doesn't mean everyone is like that. I know that I'm just a friend of Anna's who recently met you. I'm just a stranger to you. But will you let me in..? Will you let me help you and mend your wounds, Peter? It's all up to you though, I won't force you."

Those words... They brought something into Peter's heart: a fire. Slowly, he could feel like something was thawing his heart. Warmth began to fill it, bit by bit. He found it to be... soft and soothing. There was no more emptiness in the teenager's eyes.

Peter Parker was alive once more.

The corners of his lips raised up, forming a smile of appreciation and gratitude. The brunet gently nodded, a sign of acceptance toward Gwen's offer and the girl herself.

Later on, they would talk about something and share giggles while eating noodles, dumplings, and dim sum.  
Meanwhile from a table nearby, Kaine and Anna were observing the two.

"Looks like your plan worked after all, Ann." said the former as he sipped the lemon tea from his glass.

A satisfied smile formed on the latter's face, "At least I know that Peter's gonna be alright now."

Annabelle's friend had a solemn expression as he recalled the event that changed his cousin for the worse. "Yeah... Well, the past is in the past," his expression changed into a smile as he brought the glass forward.

She knew what her friend intended and did the same with her glass of jasmine tea, sharing a smile.

"Cheers," the two said in unison and clinked their glasses together, before drinking with the satisfaction of a job well done.

**\- THE END -**

**Author's Note:**

> So, you've made it this far. Congratulations! Anyway, this is something I wrote for a competition on Wattpad Amino. When I read about the prompt, I realized that one of the ideas I have for a future Spider-Man fanfic really fit it. I decided to take the essence of the idea and condensed it into this short story. Took days to write this lol. During the writing process, I came up with two titles. But in the end, after asking a friend of mine, I ended up with a shorter title.
> 
> (I forgot to tell you this. The reason I wrote this as an AU fanfic is because the Clone Saga never happened in this universe, despite Kaine Parker (originally Peter's clone in the comics) making a cameo. There's also another cameo from a character that appeared in Scarlet Spider Vol. 2 ;) )
> 
> This short story is loosely based on my life experience three years ago. The betrayal I faced, the romance I experienced. They are all what gave birth to this idea. Also, there is one person that I know. An online friend from three years ago, who became the inspiration for my take on Gwen Stacy. So yeah, most of the inspirations came from real life.
> 
> Thank you for reading this fanfic! I hope that you enjoy reading it XD Please let me know what you think of it in the comment section. If you can, please share this with friends and family. I won't force you, but anything will be appreciated :) And I suppose I wish you a good day. Au revoir!


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